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JUNEAU - Remember the days of dial-up Internet connections? Remember how slow they were compared with today's DSL and wireless connections?

Google has announced an initiative to build and test ultra-high-speed networks for not fewer than 50,000 and up to 500,000 homes and businesses across the country with connection speeds 100 times faster than today's standard connections.

Google's technology will make use of fiber optic cables, and Google has promised to cover the entire cost of building these networks to help bring the United States up to the higher telecommunication standards already established in places like China, Japan, South Korea, and even Europe.

But where to start? That's what Google has asked communities all across the country to tell them in proposals due this Friday, March 26.

Ever since Google announced this bold experiment, cities large and small have scrambled to grab Google's attention. Some have seen their mayors jump into shark tanks and icy water, others have renamed their cities, and at least one has boasted about how much money it is spending on an application for which no budgets existed prior to Google's February request for applications.

Juneau is taking a less frivolous, more practical approach with its JuneauBroadband application, though not without considerable creative thinking. For example, the Alaskan Brewing Company renamed a special ale for a Google party to reflect Juneau's unique character.

Promoting both its "Alaskan Hi-Speed Spruce Ale" and Juneau's Google application, the brewery said, "Juneauites, like Captain Cook and his crew, are a forward-thinking, adventurous and resourceful bunch. In Cook's day, it took nearly 32 months for his crew to get word about his northern adventures back to England, but with the new Google broadband technology it would take but a fraction of a second for us to do the same today!"

Individual tactics aside, thousands of community applicants across the country share a common quest to quickly cobble together what Google will view as the right combination of luck, compelling rationale, creativity, community support, and bang for Google's buck.

When he heard about Google's initiative, Brian Holst of the Juneau Economic Development Council approached the City and Borough of Juneau about it. An enthusiastic reception at City Hall led to JEDC being tasked with assisting CBJ in developing a proposal. JEDC immediately began convening meetings a couple of times a week to support Juneau's application.

"People quickly realized," Holst said, "that regardless of the outcome, putting this application together focuses community dialog around Juneau's and the nation's need for improved telecommunications infrastructure and connectivity. Whether or not Google chooses Juneau, this dialog will become an important factor in effecting inevitable improvements over the next few years."

In a webinar hosted by the National Center for Media Engagement on March 10, Minnie Ingersoll of Google's Access Team said the purpose of Google's initiative is to "experiment and learn" by serving as a test bed for bandwidth-intensive "killer apps" that are not possible today, by developing and experimenting with new and innovative ways to build fiber networks, and by providing open access that allows third parties to offer services on top of Google to stimulate competition and further innovation.

Ingersoll noted that Google chose the timing for its broadband initiative to coincide with the National Broadband Plan that was issued last week by the Federal Communications Commission. Full details of the FCC's plan are available at www.broadband.gov.

What does Google want communities to show in their applications?

"We want to know what's unique about your location and community," Ingersoll said, adding that Google wants to know about existing telecommunications and Internet technology services, and what the community has in the way of "anchor institutions"-hospitals, government, education.

Ingersoll went on to say that Google wants to hear how the community will use and benefit from ultrafast broadband connections and wants to see a strong show of community support.

Confirming that Google expects to build networks in more than one community as part of this initiative, Ingersoll said they are likely to choose communities that are different from each other, citing urban versus rural as an example.

"We're reading every application to the bottom!" Ingersoll said.

Most cities that have received national attention for their Google proposals see Facebook as a good way to quickly generate and show support. As of late last week, more than 1,600 Facebook fans had voiced their support for Juneau's application. That number is equal to more than 5% of Juneau's population. As a percent of population, Juneau's Facebook fans outnumber those of many cities whose antics have captured national media attention.

While Facebook helps to show community support, JEDC stresses that the most important thing any individual can do to increase Juneau's chance of making Google's short list is nominate Juneau by clicking the "Nominate Your Community" button at www.juneaubroadband.com. It is these nominations-in addition to the official proposal that JEDC will submit on CBJ's behalf-that Google will "read to the bottom" to assess Juneau's candidacy.

Many JuneauBroadband fans have said, "Putting Google's network in Juneau will prove that it can be done anywhere!" That may be true, but what makes it true? That's what Google needs to hear, and JEDC and the JuneauBroadband team-including representatives from the local utilities and telecommunications companies, local print and broadcast media, IT experts, educational institutions, community leaders, and local businesses) have identified features that set Juneau apart from the competition.

Chief among them is the broad perspective that as a capital city-with the same needs to communicate within the state, around the country, and around the world as any other capital-Juneau is small, isolated, and challenged by topography, climate, and vast distances between communities. Many believe this combination of being a statewide hub for government and a regional hub for health care, education, and many other services presents unique challenges that should offer Google irresistible fulfillment of the company's desire to "experiment and learn"-not to mention demonstrate to the rest of the country-how ultrafast broadband connectivity can transform a community.

The CBJ Assembly passed a unanimous resolution in support of Juneau's Google proposal. A supportive resolution was also passed by the Alaska Committee, a group dedicated to making Juneau the best capital city for Alaska.

If you haven't yet done so, it's not too late to nominate Juneau, either as an individual or on behalf of your company or organization. Go to www.juneaubroadband.com, click the "Nominate Juneau" button, then the "Nominate Your Community" button, and follow the instructions. Nominations are due by March 26. Every nomination is important.

JEDC also welcomes ideas and suggestions from residents and all sectors of the community that might add to Juneau's attractiveness as a venue for Google's initiative. To register your comments or for more information about Juneau's application or Google's initiative, go to www.juneaubroadband.com or call Jessalynn or Kate at 907-523-2330.